In his meeting with Osama al-Nujaifi on Wednesday, President Assad renewed Syria’s support for unity, stability and security in Iraq and expressed hope that the new Iraqi government will restore the country’s vital role in the region, a Press TV correspondent reported from Damascus.

In line with a recent normalization of strained ties between the two countries, Assad suggested that the Damascus and Baghdad should forge a strategic relationship.

Nujaifi’s Damascus tour comes after visits by several Iraqi officials, including the landmark visit of Iraqi President Jalal Talabani earlier this month.

In August 2009, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki accused Damascus of failing to do enough to prevent attacks in Baghdad. Syria rejected the accusations as baseless.

Late last year, Maliki visited Damascus to bury the differences between the two Arab nations.

Since then, bilateral relations have grown steadily and the two sides have stressed commitment to boosting bilateral relations.

Assad and Nujaifi stressed the role of strong economic ties in ensuring stability and establishing peace in the region and also discussed the recent popular revolutions in Arab nations, including Tunisia and Egypt.